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My mother suffered a stroke about six months ago. Since then, she seems to be more and more confused. One example is that she states that she is cold when, at the same time, she is throwing off bed covers and getting damp with perspiration. She complains of being damp, but I do not think she would understand the connection between perspiring and actually being too warm as opposed to too cold. Does anyone else have experience with this?

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Thank you for answering so quickly! Your suggestion about her metabolic heat being down reminds me that she has this problem on days when she stays up in her room. If she is more active -- coming downstairs for meals, sticking with her physical and massage therapy schedule -- she doesn't seem to have the problem so much.
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The temperature problems can drive a caregiver crazy. My mother can say she's too warm and to turn on the air. A few minutes later she'll say she's freezing. ACK! What I do is set the thermostat on a compromise temperature -- 80 degrees here -- and change it only if I think it makes sense. In your mother's case, she may feel chilly if she is wet with sweat. The evaporation would make her feel cold. Maybe a light throw or a jacket would do better than heavy covers.

Sometimes I think older people feel cold because their metabolic heat is down. Not much heat is generated when a person is inactive. Their core may feel cool even if the outside is warm.
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